So, your company wants to get into social media and has decided to put up a Facebook page. Marketing experts say that there is more to social marketing than simply putting up a Facebook page and making postings about your company from time to time. And it doesn’t really matter if you are a really big company or a small start-up. Simply being on Facebook and hoping to become a hit is as likely to be effective as shouting out in a crowded stadium. You will attract some notice but almost no attention that really matters.

Marketing specialists say that successful corporations hire consultants and are very careful about their marketing campaigns to the last detail. But when it comes to social media, many companies are very lax and use a hit and miss approach. What you have to keep in mind is that some of the basic marketing and brand-building rules also apply for social marketing. These are the same rules that are used for the more traditional print, radio and visual media. Having a Facebook page with pictures and company postings will not be enough. What you need instead is a coordinated plan to implement a marketing strategy. You should take a social media campaign seriously even if it means making a substantial investment of time and money to get it right.

With social marketing, you need to identify and target audiences where they interact online. For certain demographics audiences, LinkedIn and Twitter may be the way to go as opposed to Facebook. Since demographic data is available, there is really no excuse not to target your audience.
Also don’t expect your social media strategy to immediately go viral. It is more realistic to have a well thought out plan that will help to grow your online presence and following over time. Remember, content remains king. The benefit of online social platforms is that they give you an opportunity to effectively present content which adds value to your audience.